Suffolk Police Invest In New Technology To Help Keep Officers Safe

On Tuesday, the Suffolk County Police Department announced its purchase of three robots, three rapid deployment bomb vehicles and 15 pairs of night vision goggles.

Jessica Opatich
/ WSHU

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The Suffolk County Police Department investigates calls for suspicious packages at least once a week. So, the department has purchased three new robots to inspect those packages.

Officers compared the new robots to Ferraris. They’re small, sleek, and easy to deploy.

One even has a claw that extends and can pick up and manipulate suspicious items.

Officer Tobias Monaco is with the department's Emergency Service Unit.

“My wife and kids love this because I don’t have to put on the bomb suit and go right down on the package,” Monaco said.

In July, Dallas police used a robot to deliver a bomb that killed an active shooter. Suffolk County Police Commissioner Timothy Sini says the department took a look at the technique and said theoretically these robots could do the same.

“We need to be investing in these technologies. We need to be studying what all the other law enforcement agencies are doing and we need to most importantly stay up on our training,” Sini said.

Along with the new robots, the police department also received three rapid deployment bomb vehicles and 15 new night vision goggles from state and federal grants.